By Peter May

CLOSE: England, 2nd Innings 34 for one, lead Australia by 40 runs

1815: Official confirmation that there will be no more play today.

1740: The umpires are back out on the field once again but the only movement is from the groundsmen bringing on the covers. Our entirely unofficial view is that there will be no more play today but be sure to return tomorrow for the climax to this peerless series.

1710: No improvement to report from The Oval, if anything there has been a further deterioration and, given the lateness of the hour, it must be odds-against for any more play today.

1640: Koertzen and Bowden return to the field for another reading. No improvement is the verdict and to the naked eye it appears to have deteriorated.

1605: The umpires perform an inspection but return with a shake of the head: no improvement in the middle.

1541: Over 13.2 Trescothick takes a single from the first ball and Vaughan plays and misses at the second. The ball is just too good for the England captain but a light reading is taken and the batsmen accept the offer of bad light to a delighted cheer.

1539: Over 13 Trescothick cuts away and is able to run two thanks to another Tait misfield. Vaughan is having a chat with Bowden too now but is forced to break it off and run two after Trescothick pushes another two to the cover boundary sweeper. A flick to leg for one keeps the scoreboard ticking and Vaughan gets struck on the back leg by one that pitches outside leg, Gilchrist's appeals are not so much rejected as ignored.

1535: Ponting has a lengthy chat with Bowden and Clarke will continue so the light restrictions remain an issue.

1534: Over 12 England remain determined to take the attack to Warne, working a single from each of the first three balls and chasing them hard. Vaughan plays out the second half of the over.

1531: Over 11 Clarke once returned figures of 6/9 at the Wankhede (no sniggering at the back, please) Stadium in Mumbai. He bowls orthodox slow left arm and enjoys the vocal support of Warne as Trescothick tries to come to terms with the new bowler. There is a little turn out of the footmarks but the batsman is able to work a single to mid-wicket but that is all from the youngster's first over.

1528: Michael Clarke enters the attack for the first time this summer as the umpires urge a change to spin.

1528: Over 10 Vaughan hits Warne away to square first ball and Tait makes an error of judgement in trying to pick up allowing England to run two. The bowler continues to mix it up and will have been encouraged to see one really keep low as well as major lateral movement. Tough times here but that earlier period of brightness does seem to have passed.

1525: Over 9 McGrath beginning to find his line a bit better but Vaughan uses a wider one to get a single backward of square on the off. The bowler then finds Trescothick's outside edge but the ball falls short of Langer at third slip and he does well to block.

1521: Over 8 There is a silly point and two short legs as well as Hayden at slip as Warne bowls to Trescothick. The left-hander needs a certain amount of luck to survive and this is going to be a very difficult period to survive as a batsman. Eventually he works a single to cover and Vaughan then flicks off the back foot to keep the strike with one to square leg.

1517: Over 7 Vaughan seems happy enough facing the seamer, getting two wide, shortish balls in the over and sending both to the cover boundary. He leaves alone once the bowler finds his line outside off and McGrath gives himself a stern talking to.

1513: McGrath has now been allowed to continue. Bizarre umpiring though the light is a little better.

1513: Over 6 Three balls to bowl and no time has been lost due to the early tea. Trescothick hits a cracking cover drive from the first ball but Lee slides to keep it to a single. Vaughan then works

1510: Australia take the field in sunglasses as the good humour between these sides continues.

1500: The light has improved and play will resume at 1510BST.

1440: Tea is being taken. This leaves a potential four hours of cricket in the final session if the sun answers Australian prayers.

1430: The covers are on at The Oval with some drizzle beginning to fall.

1425: There is rain at present, the issue is one of light. Play will continue only when the light improves sufficiently that the umpires consider it "fair".

1420: Over 5.3 Despite that warning and the fact that Warne is bowling, the batsmen are offered the light and accept. Australia are furious and walk from the field to the bizarre cheering of people who do not want to see any action for their gate money. Play is suspended: Bad light. England lead by 13 runs

1418: Bowden tells Ponting that McGrath will not be allowed to continue so a spinner will have to come on at the Pavilion End.

1418: Over 5 Trescothick works a single to the first of the over. Vaughan struggles to pick up the ball and is lucky to inside-edge a single. England's fans respond by putting up umbrellas, a cute move matched by Australian supporters slapping on some sunscreen. Trescothick keeps his concentration well amidst this bizarre atmosphere, blocking out the over.

1415: Ponting checks that McGrath will be allowed to continue and the umpires decides to allow it.

1414: Over 4 Michael Vaughan blocks his first ball and hits a second through cover for two. End of the over.

1412: WICKET!
AJ Strauss c Katich b Warne 1 Warne is getting a lot of movement from outside Strauss' off stump, hitting the footmarks and jagging it back into the left-hander. Strauss gets a thick inside edge in front of the pad and it is the simplest of takes for the short leg.

1408: The deteriorating light forces Ponting to introduces Warne with the new ball at the Vauxhall Road End.

1408: Over 3 Strauss fends off the first ball of the over short of gully, a heart-in-mouth moment for England. He then gets off the mark with a push to off and Trescothick does not look comfortable playing out the over.

1403: Play is delayed as Bowden and Koertzen take light readings, they decide that play should continue and for the first time this summer the umpires are booed for keeping the players on the field.

1402: Over 2 Lee is clearly relishing these conditions, a world of difference from Thursday's fast bowling graveyard. He puts six in exactly the right spot, moving them into and away from Trescothick and England are glad to see a maiden.

1357: Brett Lee to bowl from the Vauxhall End.

1357: Over 1 Trescothick faces down a couple and then guides a single between second slip and gully to a huge cheer. Strauss shoulders arms for the final ball of the over.

1353: Glenn McGrath to bowl the first over from the Pavilion End.

1350: The players return to the field with the light good enough for play. England openers Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss follow the umpires and fielders.

1340: England have precipitated a remarkable collapse here but it may not be all bad for Australia since the light has improved and there is a lot of cricket left to be played. All eyes are now on the light meters since England will not want to bat against McGrath, Lee and Tait in these conditions.

1340: Australia, 1st innings 367 all out, trail England by six runs

1340: WICKET!
B Lee c Giles b Hoggard 6 Lee tries to hook a short one and almost clears Giles on the mid-wicket boundary but the Warwickshire bowler claims a brilliant catch over his head.

1338: Over 107 Lee inside-edges a block first ball and then fends off to leg for a single. Tait bats with his usual cavernous gap between bat and pad but scrambles a single mid-over as Collingwood misses with a throw to the non-striker's end. Lee takes a wild slash outside off prompting Vaughan to set possibly the first ever field with two fieldsmen at third man for the skied edge. Instead it's a push for a single, again tight but no direct hit to the non-striker's end.

1333: Over 106 That is the final ball of the over so Shaun Tait can watch Lee face Flintoff.

1333: WICKET!
GD McGrath c Strauss b Hoggard 0 Hoggard starts with rubbish down leg but probes with a series of "too good for thee" outswingers and finally catches the outside edge of the final ball, Strauss pouching a straightforward second-slip catch.

1329: Over 105 Lee crossed with the ball in the air so has to block out the final delivery and Glenn McGrath will be on strike to Hoggard.

1327: WICKET!
SK Warne c Vaughan b Flintoff 0 A perfect over of fast bowling yields a wicket. Flintoff digs the first right in on Lee and the batsman fends off his chest through vacant leg gully for one. Warne plays rather optimistically at the next outside off, missing by some distance. A bouncer has Warne waving the bat again and the fourth beats the bat again. Given what has gone before only Warne would try and hook the fifth of the over but he does so, skying a leading edge back down the ground and into the fumbling hands of Vaughan at deep mid-off.

1322: Over 104 An extra slip is added for Brett Lee but the new batsman whips away brilliantly through mid-wicket and Pietersen has to chase hard out to the boundary to save a run. Warne gets solidly behind the last of the over and the atmosphere is really on the rise now.

1318: WICKET!
MJ Clarke lbw Hoggard 25 Hoggard is revelling in these conditions now, swinging it both ways. He moves it away from the right-hander twice and then nips one back, beating the bat to rap the pads and present Bowden with a decision as straightforward as his finger is crooked.

1316: Over 103 Clarke kept the strike on that drop and is able to protect Warne for most of the over, a single from the fourth ball leaving the number eight to face two Flintoff balls without incident.

1316: Flintoff to resume from the Pavilion End.

1313: Over 102 Warne is able to get bat on a couple of the five remaining balls, getting a leg-bye to rotate the strike. Clarke then flashes hard and wide outside off, once again edging behind but Geraint Jones overleaps across first slip Marcus Trescothick and cannot take with an outstretched right hand. The focus is now back on Hoggard's follow-through too. The bowler already has a warning for running on the protected are and Bowden is now threatening another.

1310: The players return to the field with the light little better.

1230: End of session

Australia, 1st Innings 356 for six, trail England by 17 runs

A superb morning for England with Australia caught between two stools.

The light at The Oval is appalling but they have no choice to bat and for as long as possible since a declaration would only invite Michael Vaughan to sit on the balcony enjoying the gloom.

The hosts have exploited their opponents' catch-22 with hostility, Andrew Flintoff producing 11 over of brilliant pace bowling to claim three wickets while Matthew Hoggard got overdue reward for his efforts last thing before lunch.

Australia must continue yet now it looks very difficult for them to build a big enough lead to avoid having to bat again.

Their hopes now rest on Michael Clarke, Shane Warne and Brett Lee adding some serious runs in conjunction with an improvement in the weather to force England to the crease tonight.

If not it will take a superhuman effort from Warne tomorrow with the draw now very heavy favourite.

1230: Over 101.1 There is not time for Shane Warne to come out to bat before 1230 so under ICC rules the players head to lunch.

1228: WICKET!
AC Gilchrist lbw b Hoggard 23 Hoggard shapes one in the style of Flintoff's earlier dismissals of left-handers, pitching on middle-and-off but bringing it back to rap the pads and Bowden raises the crooked finger.

1227: Over 101 Flintoff bowling with just one slip to Gilchrist but still causing some problems. The first pitches and really gets up, beating the bat for height more than anything else but caught-behind appeals are rejected. The next is a hard-run three through extra-cover to Bell. Vaughan puts in a second slip for Clarke but the right-hander is happy to leave alone in what is likely Flintoff's last over before lunch. The batsman is squared up a treat by an absolute jaffer final ball but it beats the outside edge.

1220: Over 100 Hoggard begins with a big inswinger starting on leg and brushing Gilchrist's thigh pad, Jones makes the take of the summer low to his right but Bowden rightly rejects appeals. The left-hander responds with that famous cover drive, beating the nearest fielder but denied a four by a brilliant diving stop from Collingwood racing around from mid-on. Clarke is beaten three times in a row by the stock outswinger to finish the over. England could use another wicket now.

1216: Over 99 Flintoff switches around the wicket to Gilchrist. The left-hander looks okay now and plays back a couple before working a single. The bowler's best work here is to Clarke, who is rapped on the pads to a large appeal (going down leg) and then beaten on the outside edge. Deficit down to 21.

1212: Over 98 Clarke takes an off-side single to Hoggard from the second ball to move onto 1000 Test runs and Gilchrist also takes one to off to keep the deficit falling. Clarke then hits one out to cover and it is slow enough that the sweeper can pick it up without a miner's helmet and keep it to another single. The over almost finishes with a carbon copy of Gilchrist's Trent Bridge dismissal, a wild-off stump slash thick-edging over Strauss at gully for four down to third man. The 350 is now up.

1209: Over 97 Two dots to Clarke and then a single to put Gilchrist on strike to Flintoff for the first time. The first ball jags back to cut the batsman in half but the next drifts down leg side and the final ball is right in the left-hander's preferred area for a four through cover. What a 20-minute battle we have on here now.

1204: Over 96 Clarke takes an early single to put Gilchrist on strike. The left-hander is clearly expecting an inswinger first up but instead gets it to move away and whistle past the outside edge. That moment of adrenalin doesn't last as Gilchrist hits two leg-side boundaries to get off the mark.

1159: Over 95 It's a wicket-maiden from Flintoff and that is the final ball of the over so Adam Gilchrist will have to wait for his introduction.

1155: WICKET!
SM Katich lbw b Flintoff 1 Flintoff gets Katich with a very similar ball to that which got Katich, straightening one from middle to hit him plum in the middle and claw back more hope for the home team who still lead by 44. The next man to enter the piece will have a big say in the outcome of this match.

1150: Over 94 Clarke cuts high to a wide one and it would be a straightforward catch to Bell in good light but even the young eyes of a great fieldsman cannot pick it up and the ball falls a yard short, chance wasted. Katich gets off the mark with a push to square leg and Clarke then pulls away to the boundary. Australia appear to have stepped it up again though the right-hander makes a stylish leave from the final ball, shouldering arms to a fast inswinger which pitches on a good length and clears middle stump by a few inches.

1145: Hoggard returns to the attack for Harmison.

1145: Over 93 Simon Katich comes in and is beaten by a couple of outswinging beauties and one that nips back. Flintoff takes the applause.

1141: WICKET!
ML Hayden lbw b Flintoff 138 Sometimes it takes a brilliant delivery to end a brilliant innings and that is the case here, Flintoff bowling over the wicket to pitch on middle and straighten it inside the line of the bat to pin the batsman plum lbw.

1139: Over 92 Harmison continues after the break, finding Clarke's outside edge but the ball is wide of Giles at gully and in any case the fielder can't even see the ball. Another single from Clarke and then one from Hayden reduces the lead to 50. A bouncer over the right-hander finishes off the over.

1131: Over 91 Hayden works a two through cover and mid-off early in the over and those are the only runs from the over. With Flintoff presumably close to a rest, Australia appear to have reneged on the earlier decision to have a blast and are now looking to see off the opposition's best bowler. Drinks are taken.

1125: Over 90 This light cuts both ways. Harmison begins with a couple of off-stumps balls but Hayden then pulls and Hoggard cannot see the ball at fine leg so it races to the boundary. The next is in the same spot and Hayden works through mid-wicket, a neat Bell stop keeping it to three. Clarke gets on top of one that rises sharply off a good length and pushes a single square of the wicket, a leg-bye from the last delivery means it is nine from the over.

1121: Harmison enters the attack at the Vauxhall Road End. Vaughan may be trying to scare Australia from the field here.

1121: Over 89 Flintoff shortens his length now, trying to get the ball up and around the ears of Clarke with the light really quite poor. It is a tactic that works, Hayden's first-ball single is the only run from the over and Harmison is warming up to continue the assault.

1115: Koertzen and Bowden again discuss the light as rain begins to fall. Vaughan weighs in with a dubious complaint about the new ball getting wet but is waved away by the umpires.

1114: Over 88 Clarke is still struggling to adapt to the light, getting bat on ball but keeping it simple after that earlier let-off. He takes a single to put Hayden on strike. The left-hander then takes a quick single to Flintoff on the off and a decent shy at the non-striker's misses the stumps, bisects Ian Bell and Harmison and races away for four overthrows.

1109: Over 87 Clarke sends the first ball of the Flintoff over to the cover boundary, hitting off the back foot with some style to bring up the 300. A single to off rotates the strike and Hayden swings wide and hard at the next, missing by a mile. Australia have definitely decided to go for this, possibly prompted by the failing light. England wouldn't be batting in this, you can be sure of that. The embarrassment of that false shot cows Hayden into a more modest approach for the remaining balls, neglecting to try a run-scoring shot.

1105: Over 86 Hayden may not be in the mood to be tempted but that is rarely true of Clarke. He slashes hard and wide outside off, edging the most straightforward of chances down the throat of Flintoff at second slip and golden boy loses his shine with a dreadful drop. Hayden then hammers fours to cover and long-on and we begin to get a shrewd idea about the content of that message. Hoggard responds well with an inswinger onto the pads of the left-hander

1100: Stuart MacGill comes out with a drink and obviously some message from the balcony.

1100: Over 85 Flintoff begins with a beauty, almost sending Hayden back to the pavilion whether he likes the light or not by beating the outside edge with an outswinger. It's a maiden over with Hayden reluctant to offer a shot unless necessary.

1056: Koertzen and Bowden discuss the light and offer it to Hayden and Clarke. The batsmen are predictably reluctant to leave the field and play will continue in the south London gloom.

1056: Over 84 Hayden takes a single from the first ball of the over and Hoggard is able to test Clarke with some good early movement. The right-hander cannot be tempted into a false shot away from his body just yet and plays out five dots.

1051: Matthew Hoggard comes on at the Vauxhall Road End while Steve Harmison leaves the field to be replaced by Trevor Penney.

1051: Over 83 No real movement from the new ball, just better bounce. Clarke works the first ball of the over through the covers and Hayden also takes a single to off. The right-hander then pushes behind square on the off and is able to take two as Giles slips and slides on a wet outfield in trying to recover. It is a reminder that the weather remains a factor here, a thick grey blanket currently covers The Oval.

1046: England take the new ball.

1046: Over 82 Maiden over from Giles, the bowler blocking one powerful drive from Hayden who otherwise remains content to block.

1042: Over 81 Hayden had played a couple before a single to put Martyn on strike. Michael Clarke therefore has only two balls to face and blocks out in less than convincing fashion.

1038: WICKET!
DR Martyn c Collingwood b Flintoff 10 Flintoff declines to take the new ball, presumably seeking some reverse-swing. He does not produce any but doesn't need it, getting one to rise very quickly and rush the right-hander whose aborted hook pops up a simple catch to Paul Collingwood at short square-leg.

1034: Over 80 Martyn works a single to off from his first ball this morning and Hayden is watchful to Giles, playing out three balls and then sweeping a single. Martyn defends the last of the over.

1030: Ashley Giles takes an over with only one over due before the new ball.

1030: Over 79 Three looseners required from Flintoff as the first of the day is a no-ball. Hayden gets bat onto each of the legitimate deliveries, pushing back down the crease.

1030: Andrew Flintoff has two balls to bowl from last night's curtailed 79th over.

1029: England enter their morning huddle to the rendition of Jerusalem, an ancient tradition whose origins can be traced to a brain-storming session in a Soho marketing office at the start of the week.

1000: Australia resume this morning just 97 short of a first-innings lead and with eight wickets still intact.

Matthew Hayden has an unbeaten century while Damien Martyn is still new to the crease and, with the new ball due, those two will be happy to play out a tricky first hour.

After that the tourists will try and accelerate to pass England before lunch and then hit out during the afternoon session before putting the home team back in before the close.

If things go well for the batting side then we can expect some tinkering with the batting order, Adam Gilchrist may be given one last chance to showcase his explosive talents in this series.

Some fireworks with the bat expected, then, but the real business will begin once England are begin trying to play out around 100 overs against Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to save the match and win the series.

One noticeable feature of the fifth Test so far has been the differing appearances of the two teams.

Australia are exuding relaxed confidence despite the very real danger of their legacy becoming tarnished by defeat, while England look nervous and fearful.

More than anything it is perhaps that mental barrier which England must leap to secure the required result.